


Heal

by mewlingss



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:42:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27547030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mewlingss/pseuds/mewlingss
Summary: After losing Suki, Sokka tries to escape his grief. He is willing to do anything, even if it means going to Ember Island to protect a certain fire princess from the webs of political intrigue.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Azula/Sokka (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 62





	1. The Assignment

110 AG 

Sokka doesn't recall the solemn ride to Kyoshi Island. He remembers Aang and Katara arriving in haste back at the Southern Water Tribe, their faces drawn and ashy. Katara looked like she had been sobbing the whole ride on Appa. A million thought had flitted through Sokka's head; something was wrong with Republic City; Aang hurt Katara; Katara had a miscarriage. He thought of many things as he walked up to the Avatar, but the truth still knocked the air from his lungs when his sister threw herself in his arms and sobbed. 

'Suki' he finally says. He stared at Aang for confirmation, and the Avatar's gaze flitted away from him, instead resting on his wife. 'I'm sorry, Sokka. She fell honourably defending Zuko' 

Sokka remembered clutching Katara, not to ease her heart-wrenching sobs, but to steady himself. He felt his knees almost give up beneath him. They informed him Suki would have an honorific burial at the Fire Nation capital. He met the news with a violence that surprised them all, even himself, he raged and cursed and spat at Aang's feet. He would have her burial at Kyoshi Island, it's what she would have wanted.

The ride was quiet. Katara tried to mollify her brother by attempting to heal him, but she couldn't. His pain was inwards, shredding him and keeping him hollow. In the end, after yelling at her, Katara let him be, sobbing into her husband's arms.

He found Zuko already at Kyoshi Island, his eyes unable to meet Sokka. The Firelord’s presence both chilled and incensed him. Why was he here? Hadn’t he done enough damage? Sokka simmered in his rage.

Aang shot the Firelord a warning look, but Zuko shot straight towards Sokka as he descended from Appa's back. 'Suki was the best guard a Firelord could ever ask for, her service shall never be--' 

'Stop' Sokka finds that he cannot stare at the Firelord either, 'How?' 

He hears Zuko’s breathing hitch, 'S-she stopped an assasination attempt on my life. It happened so fast, and I-I’m sorry. The New Ozai Society surprised us' 

The image of fiery, brave Suki fills his vision, and it takes all the strength in him not to knock out Zuko's teeth. 'It was supposed to be you' 

The boy-king winces, but nods. 'It was supposed to be me' 

Sokka can't bear to be around any of them. 

*

The burial ceremony was grand. Sokka stood beside Aang and Katara, his face expressionless as they oversaw the ceremonial farewell the Kyoshi Warriors performed for Suki. He can see her, his Suki, dressed in her Kyoshi robes, her face painted white and red with precision. He is gripped with an urge to run to her, clutch her in his arms and scream her name. But he can't. She's gone, screaming will not bring her back. Once they lower her into the earth, and the first fistful of dirt hits her green uniform, Sokka turns his back on the scene and heads to his rooms. He can't watch anymore. 

*  
He is in Republic City. Katara had insisted, pregnancy had only made her even more domineering. Sometimes, he forgets he’s her elder, but he assents to her demands. Aang had begged him. Sokka couldn’t do the work expected of him back at his tribe, they all reiterated so many times that he stopped arguing with them. It’s all he has been doing lately, arguing and raging. So Aang, following Katara’s bidding, managed to convince the council to accept Sokka as the emissary of the Southern Water tribe to Republic City. 

It’s a sham title for now, no one expects him to do anything. They’re all walking around him on egg shells, even Zuko, who used to try to rile him up with jokes, was subdued, even ashamed of being in the same room with Sokka. It only made him feel more hollow and empty. Angry even. 

His days are spent in bed, sleeping in late until his raging sister walks in on him and drags him out. Katara is at home in the air temple island off the coast of Republic City. It stirs Sokka’s jealousy, that she is far from home, their actual home, and is happy elsewhere. With the one she loves. He doesn’t let himself dwell over that. He simply follows his sister around as she meets with the air acolytes, manages the temple affairs, and responds to letters. A screaming match erupts between the two at some point during the day, which leaves Katara in raging tears, and Sokka in helplessness. When Aang returns to the Island, they all have a quiet supper. 

That night, the Avatar, so tall and older now, is quiet and serene. Sokka feels his eyes on him, but ignores him. Aang always did sense the turbulence in others. 

‘How’s the baby, sweetie?’ Aang asks his wife, reaching out to place his hand atop her bulging belly.   
Katara had been staring at her brother in simmering distress, Sokka notices Aang is trying to distract her; that her mental frailty is not good for the baby. So her brother straightens up and eats the entire plate of bean curds in front of him. ‘The baby must take after you’ she smiles half-heartedly, ‘Wouldn’t stop fidgeting all day’ 

She turns to Sokka, the smile on her face warming up, ‘Mom always said carrying you was a handful’ 

Somehow, the mention of mom– the wound of losing Suki still fresh– undoes the carefully crafted expression on his face. He drops the chopsticks from his hands, and walks out. Katara calls after him, but the tears are already running down his face. 

* 

It’s the moments when he’s all alone that grief visits him. Images of Yue and Suki flit before his tear-bleary eyes, driving a sharp pain through his heart. 

He hears steps behind him, and hopes Katara had not followed him out to the balcony. But the light steps belong to Aang, who stands quietly beside Sokka. 

He doesn’t say anything, so Sokka gets the feeling that the Avatar is angry. ‘Go ahead, yell at me all you want. I shouldn’t have walked out like that’ 

‘Katara is pregnant, she’s feeling very faint lately’ was all Aang had to say. The underlying message was clear, your sister means the world to me, don’t destroy her spirit. 

‘I know, Aang. Don’t you think I hate how we’re always fighting?’ He is leaning against the railway, his face in his hands. ‘She follows me around and makes sure I’m never alone. I-I just don’t know how to feel, I’m–’ 

Aang places his hand on his shoulder,‘–You’re grieving, Sokka. That’s all to it, let yourself grieve’. 

He pushes himself off the rail, not standing Aang’s pitiful tone. ‘I’m tired of grieving, I’m tired of being this unlucky, disastrous idiot who’s always losing, and being pitied by everyone’ 

The Avatar’s open and concerned face is in a frown, ‘Sokka, we don’t pity you. You’re family’ 

‘You do’ he’s angry now, turning on Aang and letting his tongue run unfettered, ‘You bring me over here like a baby, a bloody emissary for the tribe. All I do is sit here and mope and follow my sister around. I can’t be around her anymore, I can’t be around Zuko and the councilmen. I need to go away’ 

‘Is that what you want?’   
‘Yes’   
Aang turns away to look up at the night sky, starless and empty; so devoid of hope. Sokka can’t bring himself to look at the moon, he could feel its effervescent light slant over their silhouette frames, but he can’t look. ‘Let me talk to Zuko’ 

*

‘You want me to go to Ember Island?’ Sokka is in City Hall, standing in front of Zuko and Aang; who seem like a tight-knit united front. The sight of them together tugs at the dark recesses of Sokka’s mind. It used to be Aang and himself. Now he’s a broken man. 

‘It was your wish,’ Aang was concerned, ‘you wanted to go away, and trust me, we’re not sending you away to vacation by the seaside. This is a mission’ 

Sokka looks between the two. ‘A mission? You have a job for me?’ 

Zuko finally pipes up, ‘I know things have been..difficult lately, but Aang and I have spoken, and we think it’s better for you to focus on something for the time being’ 

‘Is Katara okay with me going away?’ He asks his brother-in-law. 

Aang purses his lips, ‘She isn’t happy. I had the longest dressing down of my life this morning. I don’t think any of the monks have ever been so angry at me before.’ 

‘But?’ Sokka prompts. 

‘She respects that you’re angry with how we’ve sheltered you’ he finally says, ‘Will you listen to Zuko’s proposition?’ 

He turns to the firelord and meets his gaze– for the first time since he had heard of..her death. ‘Let me hear it’ 

‘You’re one of the strongest warriors I know, and a brilliant tactician, and the matter at hand is a..delicate one that needs discretion’ 

Sokka joins them at the table, leaning back against his chair. ‘Delicate matter at Ember Island? Did the theatre trope decide to stage another lewd production of our adventures?’ 

They all cringe at the memory. 

‘No’ Zuko says, ‘It’s Azula’ 

The name causes a shiver to run down his spine. He hasn’t heard of Zuko’s estranged sister for almost a decade, he didn’t even know what had happened to her. ‘What about your sister?’ 

The firelord’s top cheeks tinted red, a sign he was getting emotional about the matter at hand. ‘Azula has had a troubled time. The search for our mother had almost destroyed her, but she’s been doing fine lately. Her time at Ember Island is almost healing for her’ 

‘But?’ Sokka feels like he’s been pulling teeth from these two all morning. 

‘I’m concerned about her safety. The New Ozai Society is trying to strike at the heart of my kingdom; all their assassination attempts –’ the firelord pauses, dragging his gaze away from Aang and Sokka, to his clenched fists, ‘–have so far failed. I’m afraid they’ll try to hurt my sister to get back at me’ 

Aang turns to Sokka, ‘If we send guards there, we might alert everyone–’  
‘–and then you won’t be able to capture them red-handed if they approach her.’ Sokka frowns, ‘you want to use your sister as bait?’ 

‘No!’ Zuko yelps indignantly, ‘if you go, I will know Azula is safe. And should a member of the society approach her, you would be able to get us the traitor for questioning’ 

Sokka rubs the back of his shaved head, contemplating their assignment. ‘I don’t know, Aang, do you think I’m ready for this?’ 

The Avatar leaned back in his chair, and crossed his arms against his broad chest. ‘You said you were tired of my pity. Take Zuko’s assignment and see what you can do. Avatar’s orders.’ As if feeling like he had been too harsh, the soft boy Sokka came to know surfaced across the face of the young twenty two year old man now sitting in front of him, ‘Listen, Sokka, If it’s too much, your title as emissary still stands.’

He sits in silence for a while, measuring the two men before him. Zuko is staring at his clenched fists in unnerving silence. 

‘Fine’ Sokka finally relents, ‘I’ll protect your princess.’


	2. The Heir and the Spare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azula's carefully crafted peace on Ember Island is interrupted by an impromptu visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for everyone who left kudos and comments! So happy you're willing to give this a try. 
> 
> Just as an answer to some questions left in the comments; I'm moving pretty much canon with the show and comics, except that after The Search, Azula doesn't run away once they find Ursa. She becomes emotionally and mentally strained to the point that Ursa and Zuko decide to bring her back to the Fire Nation to recuperate, but instead of staying at the palace, they keep her with Lo and Li at Ember Island away from sight until she gets better. 
> 
> Hope you stick around for more :)

110 AG

Azula is in the water when her brother’s arrival is announced. She sees the slumped figures of Lo and Li by the shore, solemn and watchful as always. Rubbing her eyes from the sea water, she thinks it must be urgent; the old twins never leave her side, it is true, thanks to Brother Zuko, but even they were sensible enough to let her swim by herself. It’s the only thing she could do now. 

She swims out to shore, her arms breaking against the timid waves of the sea. Their faces are expressionless, but Azula could sense their excitement. ‘Well, ladies?’ She intones, wringing the water from her hair as she marches up to them, ‘I’m out, what is it?’ 

Lo and Li chime in unison,‘The firelord requests an audience with you, Princess Azula’ 

For a moment, but only a moment, Azula stills in surprise. Zuzu all the way from his precious Republic City to their family’s - No, it is hers now - summer house? ‘Did Zuzu say why he’s here?’ 

Only silence meets her in response. Azula stares up at the outline of the royal house in the distance. She hasn’t had visitors in a while; Zuzu sends letters, so does Uncle Iroh. Only her mother pays her these extremely unwelcome and tiresome visits every full moon or so, but Azula shakes her head. She can’t be thinking of dear old mother when her brother had caught her off guard like this. She knows by now how dangerous it would be to follow the dark train of her thoughts.

‘It doesn’t matter,’ she puts on her robe, and ties it tightly around her waist, ‘Come on then, let us welcome the firelord’ 

* 

One, two, three, four. Four Kyoshi warriors flank her brother. There are three windows circling the room, and the balcony’s swinging door is thrown wide-open. She is cognizant of her environment, taking note of the fierce female warriors with their weaponry, her brother’s anxious stance; his arms behind his back, hiding his clenched fists from view.The reception area of the summer house is a mass of velvet couches and dark ebony tables filled with incense; a delicacy Azula began to curate over the years. 

She has heard of Zuko’s current predicament. The increased rate of assassinations, Uncle Iroh had written once, are troubling your brother, so Princess Azula should make excuses for her brother’s disappearance from her life. Iroh and mother can make excuses for Zuzu all they want, - yes, he is terrified, the Kyoshi guards are evidence enough of this - but Azula knows why he doesn’t visit. 

Zuzu is still unnerved by her.

Lo and Li are the others with them in the room. Azula senses another, stepping from behind Zuko. She takes in the tall, water tribe warrior. Broad shouldered, and burnished-gold skin, the man is familiar. His hair is shaved close to his head, with only a trail of a dark brown wolf tail and a rugged beard. 

She watches him meet her inquisitive look with open hostility, his jaw is set, eyes burning with rage, and an overall grimness envelopes him. It takes her a moment before a smirk plays at the corner of her pink mouth. 

‘Boomerang boy, it's been a while’ Her laughter comes out shrill at the incensed expression on his face. So it really is the water tribe boy. Well, a man now. She can _quite_ see the change. 

‘Azula’ Zuko reprimands her impatiently. She raises her hands up in dramatic compliance. 

‘Now, brother, I know how to behave towards our guests’ She smirked at the water tribe warrior, ‘I’m only reminiscing over old times. It _has_ been 10 years, hasn’t it, Zuzu?’ 

Her brother flinches, and the water tribe warrior stands beside her brother. ‘Hello, Azula’ 

‘It’s Princess Azula to you, peasant’ she drawls.  
He smiles tightly at her. ‘Princess Azula’  
She doesn’t know why, but the way he uttered her honorific title seemed to be more disrespectful. ‘Well, to what do I owe the honor of my brother’s visit?’ 

Zuko moves to sit on the velvet couches, Sokka hot on his trail. ‘Did I give you two permission to sit?’ 

The two men still, cheeks reddening as they stammered something incoherently. Azula chuckles and perches herself along one edge of the couch, ‘I’m only messing, boys. Do sit down. It is your house after all, Firelord Zuko. I’m only a guest here’ 

Zuko has a pained expression on his face, ‘Azula, this is our house. Yours and mine. You’re my sister’ 

She smiles patiently at her delirious brother. _The sister you haven’t bothered to see in years._  
The water tribe warrior seems to be at the end of his wits, he sits on the edge of the couch, his elbows on his knees, almost ready for flight. ‘Princess, your brother and I came because we believe–’  
‘–Oh, I’m sorry’ she turned to him, as if just noticing his presence. His face turned red with irritation. ‘What was your name again, boomerang boy?’  
‘Sokka’ he says between clenched teeth.  
She sits cross-legged, her sandals revealing her gleaming red-painted toe-nails. ‘Go on then, _Sokka_ , I’m curious about your visit’  
‘We believe’ he tries again, breathing out to steady his breath, ‘that your highness might be in danger. Zuko–’  
‘–you mean your Firelord’ she corrects him, ‘you should put your men in line, Zuzu’  
Zuko is hiding his face in the palm of his hands, whilst Sokka widens his eyes at her impertinence, but he continues. She likes his persistence. ‘ _Firelord_ Zuko has been the target of several assassination attempts’ Azula notices it takes him a while to finish his sentence, his face is now devoid of color. ‘And there are rumors that your highness could be next’ 

Uncle Iroh had warned her once or twice in his letters to take care of herself, and to ask Zuko to double the guards. But she never bothered, there is no point. So what if someone came for her? Atleast she’d get some action, she was useless to everyone now, but she’d still fight; even if they do kill her in the end. 

She drags her penetrative amber gaze from Sokka, who sits quietly waiting for her reaction, towards her fidgeting brother. She has an inkling of where this is going. 

‘What does Firelord Zuko propose?’ she murmurs, sitting forward in rapt attention.  
Her brother takes a deep breath and says, ‘well as my sister, you’re not safe here. And I can’t spare more guards to protect you, I have mother, Mai and Uncle to think of too. You’re all the way here in Ember Island, not with us in the capital. My men are already being deployed in several places’ 

_I’m not in the capital because you tossed me here, brother. The spare sibling now._ ‘I see’ She says, smiling tightly at her brother. She’s glad when he flinches. ‘Well, go on’ 

‘I decided to seek out another solution for you’ he turns to Sokka, and pats the warrior’s back fondly, ‘Sokka here is the most capable man I know, he can watch over you in case any of the traitors come near you’ 

Her carefully painted face of amusement falls. She stares between Zuko and Sokka in calculated silence before replying with a deep, resounding: ‘No’ 

‘Azula–’  
‘–No, brother’ She gets up and waves for Lo and Li who stand in the corner. ‘Call for the royal barge, his highness is just about to leave’ 

The two elderly women trip over their velvet robes on their way out, they know when their mistress was being worked up to a foul mood. 

It is Sokka who gets up and follows her. ‘Listen, Princess, I’m not happy about this arrangement either, but this is for your safety’ 

When his hand reaches for her elbow, she pulls herself away from his grasp. ‘Am I expected to feel honored for your protection, peasant? I can take care of myself’ He blinks at her sudden retreat from him. 

Zuko says, ‘how will you do that, Azula?’ 

She gives him a look. Don’t you dare, brother. Don’t you dare. ‘I can take care of myself, Zuko’ 

‘Mom is worried about you, so am I. You can’t protect yourself if the New Ozai Society comes for you’ 

The mention of Ursa makes the blood sing in Azula’s veins, she turns on her brother; still attempting to keep her temper under control. ‘What makes you think father’s revolutionaries will come to hurt me? I understand why they would like to kill the boy who usurped the throne from his own father. But me? they’ll want me on their side’

His face turns red now. His scar must be pulsating with pain, she thinks, because he gets up, eyes blazing and yells at her, ‘What will they want with a princess who can’t bend anymore!’ 

The color leaves her face as Zuko tosses her humiliation back to her face. 

For ten years she had lived with her shame, but now seeing it spoken aloud; infront of the water tribe warrior – who looks gobsmacked at hearing it – is too much for her to bear.

‘Get out’ she says below her breath tightly.  
Aware of his gross mistake, her brother moves towards her. He had promised her, promised her he would never breathe a word of it. ‘Azula, I’m sorry. I didn't–’  
‘ _Get. Out._ ’ She reiterates  
Sokka takes a step back, as if wanting to leave the royal siblings to deal with their pitiful mess. Zuko looks at him, and motions for him to say. ‘I’ll leave, Azula. But I have to insist on Sokka staying, you need to be protected.’ 

‘I don’t care what you do, brother’ she feels the repressed rage, and the vein pulsating on her forehead. The familiar feelings of helplessness and hopelessness tug at her frayed mind once more; the mind she had tried to keep together these past few years. Only to have it all tattered to pieces by the reminder of her uselessness. Oh how father would despise her if he saw her right now, at the mercy of his bastard son and this water peasant. He would beat her to an inch of her life. 

‘Do what you wish’ she says, waving them away as she pulls her robe tightly around her frame, and stalks out of the room.


	3. Calculated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka and Azula try to make sense of their new arrangements.

110 AG 

Sokka stood on the shore, watching Zuko stare up at the royal summer house behind them. The young firelord looked grief-stricken, and wracked with pain. The confrontation between the two royal siblings had not gone as expected, although Sokka had little faith in the patient mannerisms of the Fire Nation– no matter how much Aang preached about unity and compassion to him. Yet, Sokka still placed a consoling hand on Zuko’s shoulder, ‘you’re trying to help her’ 

The firelord seemed to have zapped himself back into reality, as he pulled away from Sokka’s touch and sighed in misery. ‘I’m just not feeling so well. Nothing I do is right,’ He cut himself off, his tone getting hoarse, ‘I’m a pathetic firelord who can’t protect my family, I can’t protect my lands from traitors, Mai won’t speak to me, and I couldn’t even protect Su–’ 

He stopped. Sokka stiffened at the mere mention of _her_ name. He stepped away from Zuko and felt the grimness grip his heart once more. ‘You better head back, Zuko. Don’t worry about Azula, I’ll send a message if there’s any sign of trouble’ 

Zuko was quiet for a moment, deliberating over whether to speak or not. ‘Sokka, I–’  
‘–Just go, Zuko’ 

The grieving water tribe warrior stood in watch, until the royal barge disappeared from view. 

* 

‘These are your chambers, Councilman Sokka’ Lo and Li intoned. They gave him the tour of his new chambers, a lushness of red and velvet draped across all furniture. He doesn’t think he’s ever seen anything as opulent before; his meager lodgings at the Water Tribe had always been more than sufficient and practical for him, Katara and Gran Gran. Even on the run during the war, he would be more satisfied with any expanse of land and a fire to warm up while he slept. But this? Sokka ran his fingers across the silk sheets of his bed, this was all the Fire Nation’s surplus from murdering all those people in the hundred year war. 

‘Please, ladies, call me Sokka’ he tried amiably.  
The elderly women gave him a dead-panned gaze, ‘breakfast is served early, Councilman Sokka. The princess is an early riser, and everything works along her schedule’ 

‘Alright alright, I’ll do what the princess wishes’ He sat on the edge of the bed, his stomach growling. ‘Is there any chance the princess is having dinner now?’ 

‘The princess does not have dinner’ Lo, or Li, declared.  
Li, or Lo, nodded, ‘bad for indigestion before sleeping’  
Sokka rubbed his beard in contemplation, ‘I guess this is you telling me it’s bed time?’  
They were already blowing the candles in his chambers, ‘Goodnight, Councilman Sokka’  
Sokka groaned as he threw himself back against the bed. 

*

He couldn’t sleep. The last time he’d been here in Ember Island _she_ had been with him. Sure they were preparing for the war against Ozai, and Aang was having a mental breakdown. But the fond memories of the gang lounging about by the ocean, dressing up in Fire Nation attire to navigate the Island’s city filled Sokka with nostalgic memories of all the things he had lost. He’d lost his sister’s constant companionship, Aang was the Avatar; always busy and important somewhere else. Even Toph had dedicated her every waking moment to her police academy, training the next generation of police force of Republic City. Where was Sokka in all of this? He was responsible for the Southern Water Tribe, but that was before he had lost her. Now he was their errand boy, waiting for them to pat his back in pity. 

Tossing and turning in bed until he saw the sun filter through his window, Sokka decided there was no point in wallowing in bed. He washed his face in the glittering bronze bowl set for him by the invisible and nimble servants, wincing at the dark bags under his eyes reflected back at him from the shiny underside of the bowl. Maybe he was terrifying enough to keep Azula away. 

His mind turned to the firelord’s princess as he marched to the dinning room for breakfast. He was surprised when she walked in on them yesterday. He doesn’t know what he was expecting– perhaps the vindictive monster who had taunted him the day of Sozin’s comet when his plans failed, or the weeping and unstable girl who had accompanied them on the search for Zuko’s mother. What walked in was a beautiful woman, with flowing dark hair and piercing amber eyes. Sokka was quick to remember that this was no simple beauty when she began taunting and threatening him. She called him a peasant! Maybe she hadn’t changed at all; Zuko, try as he may to sound hateful of his sister, he still saw good in her, and ofcourse Sokka has to comply. Her reaction to the secret of her inability to bend being exposed surprised him; he could see that she was visibly shaking, her lips a thin white line and her amber eyes fierce, but there was hopelessness about her which he had not expected. He was used to Azula’s quick repartees and offensive attacks, but the girl of last night had surrendered the playing field to Zuko. 

It was strange. 

When Sokka entered the dining area, there were only servants still setting plates. Lo and Li stood by the windows speaking in hushed tone. 

‘Good morning, ladies’ he sat cross legged before the set up tables, ‘will you be joining us for breakfast?’  
Lo said, ‘Ofcourse not, Councilman Sokka’  
‘We already ate’, Lo added.  
‘Er–alright,’ He thanked the servant for the hot tea and took a contemplative sip. ‘Is the princess awake yet?’ 

Before the elderly women replied, Sokka heard a swoosh of silk behind him. ‘Oh’ a languid drawl announced Azula’s arrival, ‘you’re actually still here’  
She looked like she had a rough, sleepless night herself. Her long hair was pulled up, a few escaped tendrils framed her ash-white face messily, and her eyes were red-rimmed. He watched with too much concentration as Azula pulled her silk robe up to cover her round shoulder distractedly, sitting across from him.  
‘I made the choice to stay, for Zuko’ he replied.  
She stilled midway while sipping from a tea cup, her amber eyes meeting his own inquisitive gaze. ‘That’s cute, you thought you had choices?’  
‘We always have a choice’ he retorted irritably, then reddened at his own situation. ‘I just happened to be in one situation where I couldn’t turn down this one.’  
Azula was already picking at her food with her chopsticks, gaze trained elsewhere as if his existence was a bother, ‘I wonder what pitiful thing you owe my brother to be sent here’  
‘I don’t _owe_ your brother anything,’ Sokka was brimming with anger, her unaffected attitude was irritating him even more. ‘I am here because I wanted to be useful to my friends, to do something important’  
She stared him dead in the eyes with a bored expression, ‘You must feel very important coming here to protect the least important individual in all of the nations’ Azula placed a perfectly round dumpling into her mouth. 

‘Your brother must’ve thought you’re important enough to protect’ he baited her.  
After she swallowed, and followed it with a deliberately slow sip of her teacup, Azula said, ‘let me decide what Zuzu thinks, hmm?’ 

He opened his mouth to speak again, but she cut him off with a movement of her hands. The long red nails glistened back at Sokka. ‘Listen, _peasant_ ’ Azula leaned forward, her elbows on the low-table as she crowded Sokka’s breathing space. She was too close. ‘Let's make things quite clear between the two of us. I do not want you here, I am allowing it because I don't _have_ a choice, but what I can choose to do is avoid making unwarranted conversations with the likes of you. So if you don’t mind, I’d like to eat my steamed dumplings in peace’ 

‘You’re just as nasty as I remember’ he managed to say, unable to stop himself from talking back.  
She smirked, ‘at least I am consistent’  
‘I am here to _help_ you, dammit’  
She took him by surprise, and he was a fool for not intercepting her but one of her chopsticks, poised dangerously like a weapon in her delicate hand pierced the cloth of his sleeve, gluing him to the table. Unable to move, Sokka glared at Azula’s self-gloating expression. ‘Do I look like I need it, snow peasant?’ 

He rips his shirt’s sleeve trying to untangle himself from her advance. He gave her one last simmering glare before thundering out the room. 

*  
Breath. Drive. Heat. Control, Azula, remember.  
She can remember, she wants to sneer at the recurring vision of her father at the corner of her eyes. His training is so well instilled in her that, sometimes -many times-, when she is not focusing on her stance as she is now, she could almost feel the lick of his flame against the back of her thigh. Zuzu was always able to sneak off from these lessons. At first Azula was irritated, why was her older brother able to skip these intense and tiresome lessons to spend his days with Mother and Uncle Iroh? 

Then as the years went on, and her mother’s abandonment grew sharper and sharper in the pit of her heart; she grew needy for her father’s training. It was the only time Lord Ozai gave her his undivided attention. 

She flinches suddenly as her battle stance slackens; fire-bending is all about form and movement, her father used to recite as he moved around her in circles. If a hair was out of order, he’d let his flames lick at her skin to set her up straight. She never minded the pain, it only helped her overcome her shortcomings. There was no place for error. 

But now, her father would spit at the sight of her. Her humiliating defeat at the hands of that Water peasant girl and her imcompetent brother had shattered something in her. But perhaps it was the search for her mother that settled the knife of betrayal further, she woke one morning and it was gone. Her bending, that one defining mark of her talent and supremacy was taken from her. It took her ten years on Ember Island to allow herself to practice her bending forms, as a helpless attempt at getting her bending back. 

Her bending remained dormant. Yet, she got up early each morning for her breakfast - horribly ruined by Sokka - and would go into the training chamber to begin her father’s old training techniques. Breathing exercises, meditation to find her drive, control of the energy within her; she did it all in an obsessive manner in the first few years. So obsessive and aggressive that her sessions usually ended with her on the carpeted floor with sobs wracking through her thinning body as Lo and Li stood above her in silence, unable to console the ravaged princess. As she got older, Azula began to make peace with the idea that training would not bring her bending back. She would stop hoping, but she kept to her training in a diligent manner that might’ve pleased her lord father. Her humiliation was a burden she would carry with her to her grave, but she would stay disciplined. 

However, today she is not focused. Lo criticised her bent form, whilst Li could see that Azula stopped counting for her breathing exercises. The princess was growing impatient with herself. That Water peasant ruined her entire morning. 

‘Did my brother say how long this peasant will stay with us?’  
‘The Firelord did not speak to us of this’ Lo, or Li responds.  
Azula pushed her wet fringe from her eyes and huffed out in irritation, ‘I can’t stand him, he’s completely disturbed my situation here’  
The old twins look at each other, then to their mistress. ‘He comes from Republic City, from the new world the Avatar and your brother are forging. Perhaps it is not wise to dismiss him, Princess’  
She stares at them for a moment, ‘I haven’t left the island in ten years’  
They nod.  
‘Mother and Uncle haven’t been the most informative letterists about what is going on in my brother’s realm’  
Lo blinks. Li smiles.  
‘Perhaps the peasant is not completely useless,’ for the first time in a while, Azula feels that inner fire stoke in her.


End file.
